02/03/2016 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - The West is outraged with the resignation of Minister of Economic Development Abromavicius

The West is outraged with the resignation of Minister Abromavicius

02.03.2016 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• The West is outraged with the resignation of Minister of Economic Development Abromavicius.
• The Verkhovna Rada failed the ratification of the agreement to open the NATO Office in Ukraine.
• The SBU detained one of the LPR militants  leader Korsunskyi, which was noticed by the journalists in Kiev.
  

Key Events in Ukraine

• Minister of Economic Development and Trade Abromavicius resigned. At the same time resigned two of his key deputies and Trade Representative in the EU Mykolska.
• The deputies of the Verkhovna Rada failed the ratification of the agreement on the establishment of the NATO office in Ukraine, which would have  allowed to use the trust fund to assist in the modernization of the Ukrainian army. The voting was rescheduled for February 4.
• Prime Minister Yatsenyuk claimed that some of the deputies conduct a systematic work on discrediting the Government; he is ready to resign, if the Verkhovna Rada adopts the corresponding decision,  finds the majority of the votes and accepts full responsibility.
• President Poroshenko appointed Melnychuk - former Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy in Azarov's government a new Head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration .
• A demonstration of Ukrainian Internet providers, protesting against the arbitrariness of the power companies, which restrict the access to the electric system supports, especially in rural areas, was held near the Verkhovna Rada .
• The court changed the restraint measure for suspects in the murder of anti-Ukrainian journalist Buzina for a partial night house arrest.
• The hryvnia exchange rate slightly increased after a sharp plummeting on Tuesday. 25.70 ₴/$ (-0.17 UAH), 28,10 ₴/€ (-0.15 UAH), 3.24 ₴/10 ₽ (-0.08 UAH). The National Bank explained the devaluation of the national currency by a combination of situational and fundamental factors. Among the latter, the NBU calls fall in prices on world commodity markets, embargo and blockade on the part of Russia, as well as the devaluation of the currencies of countries - trading partners of Ukraine. To situational factors the NBU refers winter holidays, seasonal factors, excess hryvnia liquidity due to social payments in December-January and seasonal buying of currency by banks currency.

Kyiv

• In the capital  37 people died of flu, more than 1,000 people are in hospitals.

Ukraine at War

• The situation in the combat zone in the Donbass sharply escalated. Village Sahanka near Mariupol was shelled from MLRS "Grad" . In the northern part of Donetsk the OSCE observers recorded 500 explosions, for shooting were used grenade launchers, artillery, infantry fighting vehicles and tanks. The intelligence reported on arrival in the "LPR" of the General Staff of the Russian Federation, during which the militants carried out the demonstrative attacks on the Ukrainian positions in Trehizbenka and Stanitsa Luhanska. Two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded during the fighting. The State Border Service has closed Zaytseve checkpoint in Horlivka direction because of the constant militants attacks .

Ukraine and the World

• The EU allocated € 3 billion for Turkey on the program of resettlement of Syrian refugees in Turkish territory.
• Turkey banned the observation flights over its territory for Russian aircrafts.

The Trends

• Minister of Economic Development Abromavicius explained his resignation by pressure from the President's business partner, deputy head of the Poroshenko Bloc in the Parliament, Kononenko  and the Presidential Administration. He accused them of slowing down the reforms and pressure in order to appoint own people to key positions in the Ministry to control the financial flows of public enterprises. The ambassadors of nine Western countries signed a statement in which they expressed their regret due to his resignation and urged the Ukrainian authorities to continue reforms, discarding the disputes and vested interests. Department of State spokesman Kirby said the US wants the continued reforms in Ukraine and considers Abromavicius a right person to implement them. President Poroshenko proposed Abromavicius to stay in the office. The facts of corruption should be investigated by  the National Anti-Corruption Bureau. Kononenko announced about his readiness to abandon the Parliamentary mandate, if such decision is taken by the President's faction in the Verkhovna Rada.